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Changes in taste preference after colorectal surgery: A longitudinal study.
Sophie Welchman1, Perryhan Hiotis1, Steven Pengelly1
1Dept of Surgery, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, Devon, UK.
Clinical Nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland)
|October 11, 2014
Summary
Postoperative taste changes, particularly a heightened preference for salty flavors, impact food choices in patients recovering from colonic surgery. Understanding these altered taste preferences is crucial for improving nutritional intake during recovery.
Area of Science:
- Surgical nutrition
- Gastroenterology
- Sensory science
Background:
- Enhanced recovery programmes after surgery emphasize nutrition.
- Altered food preferences are common reasons for poor eating post-surgery.
- Taste alterations (dysgeusia) may affect food choices during critical recovery periods.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate changes in taste preferences in patients undergoing colonic surgery.
- To determine if postoperative dysgeusia affects food choices.
- To identify specific taste alterations and their impact on food consumption.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of patients undergoing colonic resections.
- Assessment of taste preferences (bitter, salty, savoury, sour, spicy, sweet) using visual analogue scales and food image scoring preoperatively and on postoperative days 1-3.
- Measurement of consumption of offered snacks representing different taste groups.
Main Results:
- Patients reported a significant deterioration in taste sense, increased nausea, and hunger postoperatively.
- Sweet, savoury, and spicy tastes were most popular preoperatively, but only salty taste palatability increased post-surgery.
- Salty and savoury foods were most consumed postoperatively, aligning with increased palatability for salty tastes.
Conclusions:
- This is the first study to examine postsurgical food preferences, revealing significant taste alterations.
- Taste perception changed consistently, except for salty taste, in the postoperative period.
- Understanding these taste changes can help improve eating resumption and nutritional support after colonic surgery.
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